


Planning for the Holidays

by magician



Category: The Sentinel (TV)
Genre: Challenge Response, Established Relationship, Holidays, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-24
Updated: 2019-10-24
Packaged: 2020-12-31 21:28:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21152480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magician/pseuds/magician
Summary: Jim and Blair discuss holidays  (pretty boring summary, I know)





	Planning for the Holidays

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the TSCC challenge for the prompt: holidays

"Is there any holiday Naomi doesn't celebrate?" Jim asked with a smirk. It was January, and Jim and Blair were discussing vacation plans for the year, including which holidays to take. He expected they'd be spending at least some of their time with Blair's unconventional mother.

"Nothing comes to mind," Blair answered as he perused the book _Holidays and Festivals from Around the World_. "Did you want to go with traditional holidays or try something a little more offbeat?"

Jim shrugged. "What was the most memorable celebration you remember?"

Blair stared at the ceiling. "Mm, that's a tough call, but I think I'd go with Holi. I was about eight and we were traveling through India. We visited some little town in the north and Naomi's Hindu friends took us to their temple. Outside was a street bizarre--lots of food, clothing and trinkets for sale. Because it's the festival of colors, everyone was wearing flashy clothes and there were huge bowls of colored powders. They encouraged us to pick up handfuls of the powders and throw them at each other. We ended up looking like we were tie-dyed from head to toe. Lots of dancing, lots of singing, lots of joy. It was so cool." Blair grinned at the memory. "What about you?"

"Definitely Inti Raymi," Jim answered.

"You're kidding! The Incan Winter Solstice festival, right?" Jim nodded. "You celebrated with the Chopec?"

"I actually witnessed two different versions. The year before the Chopec mission, we were in Cusco to lay some groundwork. We wanted to make contacts and to practice speaking Quechua.

"The procession was huge, everyone dressed in their finery, lots of drumming and pipes." Jim smiled, remembering. "It was so loud the vibrations went right through me, but soothing at the same time. Plenty to eat and drink, especially the local beer, which had a helluva kick. It was all very high energy and very stylized. I could have done without the killing of the sacrificial llama," he added with a shrug, "but otherwise it was good--memorable."

"And with the Chopec?" Blair asked.

"They had the same basic rituals, but the feeling was… different. Kind of distant and more meaningful at the same time." He shook his head. "I guess that doesn't make much sense."

"No, don't discount it. Tell me how it was different."

"Their procession wound around the outside of the village and ended up in the center next to a large bonfire. Incacha and the Chief both spoke, invoking Inti to bless the tribe by bringing back the light."

"And the sacrifice?" Blair asked softly.

"A capybara I'd helped the warriors capture. Instead of parading the llama corpse like in Cusco, Incacha thanked the beast for its contribution, then quickly killed it. The women made a stew from the heart, which was offered to Inti. Then the tribe broke their fast with a communal meal. It was more… personal than what they did in the city."

"It seems like every culture has a way to celebrate the ending of the long, dark nights," Blair said pensively. "I've never seen an Inti Raymi festival. Want to pencil it in?"

"You actually want to vacation someplace cold?" Jim asked incredulously, flicking his eyes toward their coat rack, which held Blair's heavy winter coat and Fargo hat.

"Nah," Blair admitted, "and I wouldn't mind skipping the llama." He thought a moment. "What about celebrating the Summer Solstice instead? Maybe in Sweden? They dance around maypoles and watch the midnight sun."

Jim rolled his eyes. "Canada is closer for midnight sun watching, and we can put up a maypole on the beach. Just one condition."

"Yeah?"

"No naked dancing."

"No problem. I only shake _this_ booty in private." He closed his book and stood up. "And speaking of which…"

Jim grinned. "I like how you think, babe," he said as he followed Blair up the stairs.

**Author's Note:**

> So, if anyone is curious, I used the spelling of the city as Cusco, instead of Cuzco, because that's the way the residents of the city want it spelled. Read the debate here if you wish.  
https://www.tripsavvy.com/do-you-spell-it-cusco-or-cuzco-3969365


End file.
